Bannockburn Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Geelong
Viticulture: Organic
Winemaker Matt Holmes
Established Date: Vineyard planted 1974
The Sauvignon Blanc grapes are 1/3 was de-stemmed and lightly crushed before fermentation on skins for one week. Finishing in older puncheons, 1/3 was whole bunch pressed to puncheons and the remainder whole bunch pressed to tank (net new puncheons 10%) .
Or in less nerdy terms, there are 3 different wines combined to make this complex Sauvignon Blanc. One third is whole bunch matured in old and new barrels; one third has skin contact for 1 week and matured in old barrels and one third whole bunch finished in tank. 3 wines in one.
Sommelier’s Recommendation Miles away from what you think sauvignon blanc is. I love the idea of this wine being made from 3 different styles blended together. The skin contact gives it another dimension of flavour, the lees give it extra weight while still having those great sauvignon aromatics which make this grape so popular.
Stuart Hooper was a successful businessman with a passion for everything about wine. He envisioned creating a vineyard that would produce Australian wine of a quality to emulate the great regions of France.
In the early 1970’s Stuart selected a plot of land in the Moorabool Valley near the township of Bannockburn. A promising site with the desirable soil composition consistent with quality viticulture and a rich history of premium wine grape production dating back to the 1870’s. The initial plantings were shiraz vines. Before long, more land was acquired, more vines and varieties planted – the story had begun.
A major contribution to the success of Bannockburn Vineyards was the strong foundation Stuart provided through his purist, uncompromising approach when he established the vineyard and winery. Everything was done with a commitment to producing quality wine.
Although Stuart has since passed, Bannockburn Vineyards remains in the Hooper family, with his daughters as custodians to ensure his philosophy is preserved, providing the cornerstone of all that we do at Bannockburn today.
Viticultural Manager for over 30 years, Lucas Grigsby takes personal pride tending to the vineyards with a belief in organic farming practices to maintain the health of the soils and vines. In the winery, Matt Holmes’s approach is to take a step back and allow the healthy, well-balanced fruit flavours to develop into wines with minimal additions and low intervention.
We continue to benefit from the foresight shown by Stuart Hooper; in the 1970s and 1980s when the Australian wine industry firmly had Bordeaux as the reference point, Stuart planted Burgundian varieties. Our Serré vineyard is now the site of Australia’s oldest close-planted Pinot Noir vines.
In the early 1970’s Stuart selected a plot of land in the Moorabool Valley near the township of Bannockburn. A promising site with the desirable soil composition consistent with quality viticulture and a rich history of premium wine grape production dating back to the 1870’s. The initial plantings were shiraz vines. Before long, more land was acquired, more vines and varieties planted – the story had begun.
A major contribution to the success of Bannockburn Vineyards was the strong foundation Stuart provided through his purist, uncompromising approach when he established the vineyard and winery. Everything was done with a commitment to producing quality wine.
Although Stuart has since passed, Bannockburn Vineyards remains in the Hooper family, with his daughters as custodians to ensure his philosophy is preserved, providing the cornerstone of all that we do at Bannockburn today.
Viticultural Manager for over 30 years, Lucas Grigsby takes personal pride tending to the vineyards with a belief in organic farming practices to maintain the health of the soils and vines. In the winery, Matt Holmes’s approach is to take a step back and allow the healthy, well-balanced fruit flavours to develop into wines with minimal additions and low intervention.
We continue to benefit from the foresight shown by Stuart Hooper; in the 1970s and 1980s when the Australian wine industry firmly had Bordeaux as the reference point, Stuart planted Burgundian varieties. Our Serré vineyard is now the site of Australia’s oldest close-planted Pinot Noir vines.
